Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF), concluded its participation in the 2023 Arab Career Development Conference (ACDC), held from February 27th to March 1st in Aswan, Egypt.

During the conference, the Center's delegation presented a research paper that highlights Qatar's leading capabilities in the field of career guidance and development, to a group of senior experts and specialists from all over the Arab world. The conference's workshops, numbering over 30, provided them with a unique platform to exchange experiences and knowledge related to the field of career development, discuss international best practices, and explore ways to develop and coordinate career development efforts across the Arab world, among the conference's 1000 expert attendants and representatives of 42 governmental and nongovernmental entities from across 12 Arab countries

QCDC's participation in the conference is a testament to the center's commitment to promoting career development and fostering an inclusive employment culture in Qatar. Mr. Saad Al-Kharji, Career Programs & Services Manager at QCDC, presented the case study entitled:" Enhancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Qatar’s Labor Market: A Case Study," that reviewed the intensive efforts made by the center to promote an inclusive employment culture in Qatar, the successes they have achieved, and the challenges still facing this endeavor.

The center has long provided inclusive career development services, with facilitated access for people with disabilities, through the "Inclusive Career Development Initiatives" cluster, which represents a qualitative leap in the field of career development for people with disabilities. Therefore, Mr. AlKharji also discussed transferring the knowledge and experience behind these programs to the wider region and applying them within bespoke Arab contexts.

"We are honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in the 2023 Arab Career Development Conference, a pivotal platform for experts and practitioners in career development from around the Arab world to come together and exchange knowledge, experiences and best practices, and to explore new horizons and innovative ideas to enhance career development, education and employment prospects in the region," said Mr. Abdulla Al-Mansoori, Director of QCDC.

"Our participation in this prestigious event was an opportunity to represent Qatar on an international platform and showcase the country's achievements in promoting inclusivity in career development, and we were proud to present our successful initiatives in this regard. We believe that by collaborating with other stakeholders in the region, we can continue to promote positive change in the labor market and create more opportunities for all individuals to reach their full potential," he concluded, calling the event "a true landmark in the strive to link up career guidance and development efforts across the region and the Arab World," he concluded.

Mr. Ahmad Kamal, President of the Arab Career Development Conference, said: "Considering that this conference was organized to be a bridge between Arab career development experts and practitioners, I can confidently say that QCDC's participation was crucial to the success of the conference. We were delighted to know more about career development inclusivity efforts in Qatar, and the career development landscape in general. The insightful case study presented by QCDC's delegation warrants deep reflection on their experience, and how it can enrich career development in the whole region."

QCDC's representatives were accompanied by a delegate of the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau, Mrs. Dhabya Al Buainain, Director of Nomination and Replacement, who gave a presentation that discussed the bureau's efforts in providing career guidance and development for job seekers through the National E-Recruitment Portal (Kawader). These efforts include organizing counseling sessions and personal interviews with job seekers, offering training courses focused on resume preparation and job interview skills, providing a free electronic training platform to promote e-learning culture among job seekers registered on the platform, and other efforts made by the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau to enhance the Qatari labor market with qualified national competencies.

QCDC's participation in the ACDC conference is part of the center's ongoing efforts to promote career development and to support the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030, a development plan which aims to create a diversified and sustainable economy that provides opportunities for all members of society. By participating in events like the ACDC conference, QCDC is demonstrating its commitment to building a brighter future for Qatar and the Arab world.